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When the Sky Falls into the Sea
---- The light was finally fading from the sky, the bright blue shifting to brilliant shades of red and orange. Long shadows stretched through the city, and from her window, Amber was able to watch as the streetlamps flickered to life, illuminating the ground below in an artificial blue-green hue. She had been relieved of her duties rather late this evening and the soreness in her muscles was only relieved the moment she collapsed onto her couch. Her eyes were heavy with sleep, only barely able to keep her eyes open and on the lacrima vision screen. The news anchor explains a mishap some few towns over that was taken care of by the local Rune Knights. She felt a rush of pride despite not being part of that squadron, knowing the work her organization was doing truly was making a difference. It was only a matter of minutes before she was dozing off, her eyes slipping shut. However, she would not be able to rest for long, a loud crash causing her to nearly jump out of her skin. She looked around her apartment wildly, searching for an intruder though finding nothing. She then looks out onto her balcony, spotting a familiar figure there. She does a double take before standing up off her couch, bewildered, to say the least. She walks over to the balcony, opening the glass door and poking her torso out. "Wren?" She asks, watching as the silver-haired girl struggles to get upright. "What the heck are you doing here?" Wren Llewellyn was wearing what would have been considered a beautiful dress, formfitting and made of white chiffon, had it not been covered in a blood. Her left hand clutched her right shoulder, attempting to staunch the wound while her right arm hung limp. Her breathing was shallow, the gleam of sweat coating her skin as she smiled. "Hey, Amber, it's been since graduation right?" She winced. "I was just in the neighborhood, and I'm probably going to pass out soon so, um, can I come in?" Amber's eyes darted between the wound and her the bloodstains and Wren's pained expression. Before Wren could even get the question out, she was already ushering her into her house, plopping her down on her couch. She ran to the kitchen, filling up a bowl with water and pouring salt into it. She rushed back over to her friend, eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the wound. She moved the water up to the wound on Wren's shoulder, washing out the contaminants and clearing away the drying blood. She was able to stop the blood flow, the saltwater and magic combo allowing the skin to begin healing slowly, though, it would sting a little. Wren bit her lip, seething silently as Amber washed the wound. "What happened?" Amber asked, far too concerned with her well-being to care about why she was at her apartment of all places. The hospital or the Rune Knight Infirmary might've been a better option, given Amber's medical expertise was limited. She wondered if someone was following her, and if so, how long she could fight until her already fatigued body would give up on her. She glanced at the bracelet on her table, knowing she could alert other Rune Knights if she needed help and feeling a little more at ease. "Job gets a little crazy sometimes. You should see the other guys." Wren winked. It had been a while since she had seen Amber, but in the haze of blood loss and pain, she had determined that the closest place to go to survive, was her apartment. Amber rolls her eyes as Wren makes light of her situation. "I'm sure crazy is an understatement. I think almost passing out on somebody else's porch because of bloodloss puts your job on the more dangerous and deadly side of things." Amber isn't trying to be condescending but seeing her friend in such a state makes her worry. "Who were you fighting? Are they still after you?" Amber gets up, careful to listen to her friend's response as she does. She takes the bloodied water and exchanges it for more clean salt water. She grabs some gauze from the bathroom before walking back over to her. Wren is still bleeding but it has slowed down, the wound having shrunk thanks to the healing spell. She washes out the wound once more, allowing the water to continue to heal her for a bit longer before wrapping her arm in gauze. Wren smiled, the glint of mischief in her eye was one Amber had seen before, all through their years in training together, "I can't really talk about it. Boss is a stickler for confidentiality, but I shouldn't have to worry about anyone else coming after me." She closed her eyes, leaning back against the soft cushions. "So, hows your job, what squad did you end up making?" Amber doesn't like being kept in the dark but she lets it go, knowing stressing Wren would only make the wound worse. She doubted she would get anywhere with the elven girl even if she did try. She plops down in the armchair adjacent to the sofa, closing her eyes as well. "I'm with Walker right now. We don't have an official home city so I just stayed here in Crocus since it's in the middle. We just got back from Oshibana a few hours ago when you got here." The mission hadn't been difficult but between waking up before dawn and not being able to rest on the train, she had been exhausted by the time she got home. Wren was lucky Amber had stayed awake watching the news long enough to hear her when she hit the balcony. "I see you've been busy with your squad, who are you under?" "Oh," Wren stumbled for a moment, "I'm, um, I actually didn't make a squad. I don't work for the Rune Knights." She waved both of forearms towards Amber, despite the jabbing pain from her shoulder, "See? no interface." She felt guilty omitting the truth from her, though it was not technically a lie. Amber couldn't believe her ears, opening her eyes to see that Wren did not, in fact, have a communication piece. "You didn't... You didn't make a squad?" She was beyond shocked, as she knew the talented young woman would have been an invaluable asset to any squad. To not get put on any of them was a mistake. Wren shrugged. "Nope." She popped the p. "Well, then how did you get that wound? Are you in a guild now?" Curiosity lit up Amber's gaze, looking for a stamp somewhere on her skin. Wren avoided the question, "It's not a big deal. I'm more concerned about how Skaoi's doing... She throws tantrums when I'm gone for too long." Amber clicks her tongue, persisting. "Wren, I think she'll be okay. Can you please tell me why you showed up on my doorstep all battered?" Wren fidgeted, "Listen, Amb, I can't tell you that. It's not something you should know." She sighed, "I'm not in trouble or anything, believe me, and if I was I could handle myself, I just... Can't talk about it." Amber sighs. "Alright Wren, I trust you. Can you at least promise me this will be the last time you scare me like that? I don't need gray hairs by the age of 20." Wren mock-pouted, "But hospitals are expensive and I don't like bleeding alone.... Plus you need some company now and again." Amber rolls her eyes. "Well, you can at least try and come during business hours. I need to sleep sometime and Walker doesn't stop until we're dead tired." "Speaking of sleep, I don't think you really want me crashing here but I'm not sure how well it's going to go if I stand again. Would you walk with me back to my place?" Amber shrugs her shoulders, not caring either way if Wren stayed the night or not but figuring the girl wanted to be in the comfort of her own home. She pushes herself off the armchair. "I just gotta get changed real quick, then we can head out." She ducks back into her bedroom, throwing on a t-shirt and pair of shorts before going back out to the living room. She sees Wren was able to get up off the couch without her help and she goes to her side. She doesn't hold onto her, but she keeps an eye on her in case she stumbles. "Is your apartment far from here?" She asks, hoping she wouldn't have to spend the majority of her evening helping an injured friend home, not that she would admit that. "It's in Uptown, but I can call a cab for us, should only take like, 10 minutes." Wren dialed before Amber could object, talking briefly, "Hey, mission was success, took a shot to the right shoulder but it's all good I got it patched up. Can you send a car to my location to get me home?" She waited a minute. "Thanks. Got it. Next time I'm not wearing chiffon." She hung up and smiled at Amber, "Should be headed our way." A few moments later a sleek black car sidled up to the street. Wren opened the door and slid to the far left. There was a divider between the two girls and the driver and the car took off as soon as Amber closed the door. Amber followed Wren with little understanding of what was happening, simply trusting the girl with whatever she had planned. The car ride was a quiet one, she was much too absorbed in trying to get her bearings to say anything. Once they arrived in front of the apartment complex, reality seems to come flooding back. "You live in there?" She asks incredulously, not caring how rude that might come off. Wren smiled, "Nice isn't it?" The building was as sleek as the car, made of sharply angled stone and glass, interrupted by beams of steel. She led the way into the lobby, through to the elevator where she entered a quick combination into the keypad. They jolted upwards all the way to the top floor where it opened straight into a modern-deco living room. a Amber wasn't sure where to focus her attention. The beautiful living space was more than she could afford after five years of working with the Rune Knights, for that she was sure. And there was also the fact that Wren just seemed to fit in so perfectly, silver hair and chiffon dress, though stained, belonging in such a high-class room. "How do you afford this place? It looks like a room in the castle! It looks better than that, even!" Amber's fatigue was forgotten in her awe, wanting to explore the wonderful living space but knowing she was supposed to be heading back to her own apartment soon. "It's really awesome! I snagged it when it went on the market about... two months ago? I'm really lucky my boss pays so well, aren't I?" She chuckled. Noticing Amber's awe as she still stood in the threshold Wren laughed, "Come on in. I'll get you a drink and give you the grand tour!" Amber moves slowly towards her friend, unsure if she should be accepting the offer. She didn't have duties tomorrow morning so she didn't need to worry about getting up early, but she didn't want to intrude on her friend's time or home. "Are you sure you shouldn't be resting? You did just get shot in the arm..." Amber wants badly to tour her house, but she also doesn't want to pressure her to do. There was always another time. "Nah, I've gotten worse, besides, with your healing magic I'll be just fine in the morning!" Wren walked over to the small bar at the end of her kitchen, plucking two glasses and one of the bottles of champagne from the cooler. She poured carefully, half-dancing her way over to Amber to an invisible beat, brandishing one of the glasses, "For you—" after Amber took the glass she raised hers "—For me." Amber nods, making a note to heal her friend once more before sending her off to bed. She watches as her friend gracefully moves over to her, the bubbling drinks in her hand. "Thank you," she says, wondering if now would be a good time to mention she'd never so much as been in the same room as alcohol. She takes a sip of the champagne anyway, knowing full well a glass of anything wasn't going to affect her poorly. Wren gestured to the kitchen, which like the rest of her home was streamlined and minimalistic, "That's the kitchen, I don't really cook much though because I'm out almost every night." She approached the living room, running her free hand across the back of one of two large sofas, "This is the living room and honestly, I have spent about as many nights crashed on the couch as I have in my bed." She opened a glass sliding door, a rush of cool and stale city air hitting her face, "The balcony has a really great view of the castle and it came with this cool saltwater hot tub. I got someone to do a bit of enchanting on it so it helps speed up the healing process. It's nothing compared to you though." Amber followed her friend through the apartment, taking in the perfected arrangement of everything in the home. She looks at the hot tub, her interest piqued by the magic signature that seemed to be dormant at the moment. "Well, I suppose I am able to focus my energy a bit more than the hot tub, which would make my healing a bit more effective," she says. "But a healing hot tub is still really cool. Hot tubs by themselves are natural muscle relaxants, I can only imagine how comforting that one is." "If you're ever nearby and need a soak I'll give you a key!" Wren said offhandedly, excitedly leading her friend back inside. "So then there's my bedroom and Az bought me a super big bed as a housewarming gift and it's so comfy, and the bathroom is incredible, I think there's like fifteen shower functions." She promptly flopped down on said bed, Skaoi, who had been trailing at her feet, curling right next to her head. "It took a few weeks between work but, finally the place feels like home." Amber splutters at the offer of a key. "I—I couldn't possibly accept that Wren, this is your home," she says, trying to calm her nerves. "I would feel like an intruder if I was here without you." Wren doesn't seem all too concerned with her feelings though, simply leading her back inside for the rest of the tour. "Your house is very beautiful," she says, wondering who Az is but expecting Wren to simply dodge around the question if she asked. "I'm glad you feel at home here." She is genuinely happy for her friend, who had always seemed to have a hard time finding a place where she felt comfortable. When she was curled up on her bed with her cat, Amber could tell she was at peace. "Amber, seriously, the keycode is 6478. Come over anytime. It's the least I can do for giving you a heart attack tonight." Wren ran her hand across Skaoi's back. As she thought, a bright spark shone in her eyes, "Actually, let me take you to brunch tomorrow! You can stay here, it'll be just like field training, except indoors and in a bed not a tent, and with better food the next morning!" Amber simply nods along, not really knowing how to argue with her at this point. "Thank you." She is thinking about asking Wren to call a return cab when she requests she stays the night. She knows the polite thing to do would be to say no and return home, but she couldn't bring the word up when Wren looks so happy about the idea. "I suppose there's no harm in it as long as you're okay with it." She hesitates to move from her spot in the doorway, not knowing whether Wren really wanted her to sleep in the same bed or on the couch. "Yeah, I'll get some stuff for you to wear and then you get in bed. I don't think I have a spare toothbrush though, sorry." Wren apologized. "Thank you. And it's no trouble, I brushed them before you got to my house. I was planning on going to bed after watching the news." Amber realized shortly thereafter how old she sounded saying that. She briefly wonders if Wren would even care or notice. She stood up, brushing quickly by Amber and to a dresser where she pulled out two tee shirts pairs of sweatpants. "Navy or gray?" "Navy," she answers, taking the pair of pajamas before going to the bathroom to change. After she was done, she went over to the big bed, sitting on the edge of it and allowing herself time to look around the bedroom. Wren unabashedly hauled the ruined dress over her head, shucking it into a corner. She shimmied out of her underwear and pulled the sweatpants, before stretching her arms upward and leaning back. The vertebrae of her back snapped one after another and she softly exhaled at the relaxing sensation. She pulled the shirt over her head and let her magic, a faint breeze, brush her back onto the bed. Amber looked away from her friend, cheeks lightly dusted pink. She knew she shouldn't have expected any form of modesty from her, even when they trained together Wren had little care for those who saw her in various states of undress. When she softly floats to the bed she turns her head back, her blush having died down. "Do you work with anybody?" she asks, her curiosity on the mysterious "Az" poking back up again. "Yeah, but we do a lot of solo stuff. Ugh, I always get picked for the dumb things, sneaking into parties, threatening people. All because I dress up nicer than the rest. And I barely ever see Az anymore, she's swamped with work and doesn't have time to see me like she did when I was little." Wren inadvertently babbled. Amber smiles when her friend babbles. "That sounds more interesting than the stuff I do. Most of the time I just tail Walker and wait for her to tell me what to do. Even when I do get to do solo patrols, I have to make sure someone is available to help, so its like training wheels. I don't mind working together though. There's a lot I can learn from older members." "Ugh, Zadki-" She cut herself off quickly, raising her hand to her mouth. She was more alert now and gave Amber a terse grin. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have even said anything." Amber quirks an eyebrow when Wren goes silent. "Well, uh, what have you been doing outside of work then?" Her smile returns despite the forced one on her friend's face. "I mean, most of my time is spent doing work. Sure I stay in Crocus about 70% of the time but my passport is getting filled. I was in Caelum last month for.... well, I went for vacation but I got a little bit sidetracked. The ocean there is amazing! So blue and so clear! Ugh, if only I hadn't gotten sunburned." Amber nods along, happy her friend had some time away from dodging bullets. “Caelum’s beaches look beautiful from photographs, I'm totally jealous.” "I'll take you some time! You deserve a vacation I mean look at you Amber! I don't mean to be rude—" Wren shifted onto her side to face Amber more directly— "But you look like you haven't had fun since I forced you to go on adventures with me in the academy. Are your hours that bad?" Amber's cheeks flamed at Wren's comment. "I-I have fun!" she says indignantly, though, truly, the most fun thing she's done since leaving the academy is play bingo for a charity. "My hours are pretty decent, I work dawn to dusk three days, then morning to noon for two. I usually have weekends off but I'm always on call if I'm needed." Wren’s nose scrunched upward while her brows drew inward to form a thoroughly amusing expression. “You seriously don’t do anything, do you... Well, I’m going to fix that! Starting with brunch tomorrow.” "If that's what you want, I've never been able to stop you before." Amber smiles, more than thankful for her friend, who's taken her away from training to relax more than a few times. "But really, Wren, you don't have to go out of your way. I know you have your own life to attend to." "Nah, it's fine, you're my best friend anyways. Besides, what else am I going to spend money on, it's not like I've got anyone special." She giggled. "I suppose that's true," Amber shrugs. "As long as I'm able to keep you company and make you happy. Speaking of, would you like me to heal your arm one last time before we go to sleep? You can never be too sure with this kind of thing." "Nah whatever it's fine, I just won't sleep on my side." Wren waved off the offer. She flicked her finger quickly, a soft rustle of wind overtaking the room as the light switch flicked off. A soft glow still lingered from a small light plugged into a socket near her bathroom, and Wren quickly slid under the sheets. She lay on her back and turned her head slightly to look at Amber, "Sleep tight now, I promise this bed is a dream." Amber sighs, wishing she had simply told Wren she was going to heal her, rather than asking her for permission. As the lights are flicked off, Amber shimmies underneath the sheets. She quickly falls asleep, the bed's comfort only aided by the fact her body had been wanting rest for an hour now. It didn't take Wren much longer to fall asleep, the fatigue of her day had quickly caught up to her and once the lights were out so was she. At some point in the night, Wren flipped over to face Amber, swinging an arm across her body before the sun rose. Amber opened her eyes to the morning sun, her internal clock matching with the rise of the sun. She took stock of her situation, Wren's arm was slung over her body and the covers were strewn haphazardly about the bed. She glanced at her shoulder and thankfully, the gauze held up through the night. She allowed her to rest a little while longer, finding no desire to get out of the extraordinarily comfortable bed anyway. She looked at what she could see from her angle, the white and silver in the room gaining new beauty in the golden light of the early morning. Wren breathed softly in her sleep until the shifting of Amber's head caused her eyes to flutter open. She realized her arm was strewn across her body and moved it back to her side. She smiled softly in the haze of sleep, "Sorry, Az always said I was a cuddler." Amber turned her head as Wren retracted her hand, the gentle curve of her lips an uncommon feature on her face. She wished she could capture the moment and hold it a little while longer, and from the breath she was holding, it seemed she was trying to achieve just that. Realizing she had let several moments pass with no response, she quickly gathered up a reply. "It's okay, I don't mind." Her voice is hardly above a whisper, a smile of her own forming. "Did I wake you up?" Wren's eyebrows furrowed and her face shifted into a sleepy pout. "No no, I wake earlyish anyways." She pushed herself upwards, grumbling in her daze. "Mm... I'm going to take a shower, okay?" Amber nodded and Wren padded away, shutting the barn-style door to her bathroom. A few moments later, water started running and light steam began to curl into the room from underneath the door. Amber lifted herself out of bed, stretching her hands up towards the ceiling. She was going to get dressed but soon realized she had left the clothes she had been wearing in the bathroom. With a sigh, she walked into the living room, looking around until she spotted the remote. She turned on the lacrima vision, flipping to the news channel. Things in Fiore seemed calm since yesterday's arrest, making Amber feel assured that she would truly have today off. About ten minutes later, Wren walked out of the bedroom wearing a navy pencil skirt, matching flats, and a white sleeveless button up, befitting the pleasant May weather that awaited them. Her hair was still wet and styled in a loose braid. "Shower's all yours. you left your clothes in there, but you can also borrow some of mine for today. We're still the same size, right? And my closet is all yours." Amber nods, pondering over whether to borrow her friend's clothes. After deciding it might be rude to turn down the offer, she begins looking through Wren's closet. It was neatly organized, much like the rest of her home, and she chose a few items before getting in the shower. She showered off quickly and got dressed, wicking the water out of her hair and pulling it into a ponytail. She glanced at her outfit in the mirror, a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt with a pastel pink letterman jacket overtop. She pulled on her socks then left the bathroom, smiling as she walks over to her friend. "What time do you wanna head out for brunch? It seems kinda early now unless you want to just get regular breakfast instead." "We can go now if you want or I can make some coffee and we can just chill for a while. It's been a while anyway and I wasn't exactly expected company last night." Amber raises her finger, lightly tapping on her chin. "I think it would be nice to catch up over breakfast." With a nod of agreement from Wren, the two headed out of the apartment. A short ride in a cab later and the pair were in front of a pleasant diner. The decor gave off a vintage vibe and the girls seemed like they simply belonged there. They were seated and ordered their drinks. "Have you kept up with any Rune Knights you left?" Wren took a sip of sparkling water (she had almost ordered soda, though at a concerned expression from Amber had chosen to start her day without excess sugar), swirling the straw in the glass. "Not really, I graduated and my boss extended an offer and I impressed so they started me off fast. What about you? I've heard Walker is a hardass." Amber sipped her sweet tea, the icy cold drink helping to give her an extra boost of energy. "She's not too bad. She has her rules, probably a lot more than regular squad leaders, but we also have the most freedom in terms of missions. Though they definitely don't seem as dangerous as your jobs, I don't think a gun has actually ever been fired at me yet." While true, she had been on the receiving end of some rather brutal magic attacks, though by far, the most humiliating was the burst of flame that had burnt her eyebrows clean off, which she only recovered thanks to a magic hairdresser. "You said you go on a lot of solo missions, but do you get along with the people you team up with?" Wren continued to stir ice around in her glass. "Well, what I can say is that there's sort of, two rankings. I've got a boss on the higher tier and he's got a boss on his tier that's the boss of all of us and then my tier has a boss too and I'm the only girl on my tier and the boys are stupid and.... boyish sometimes, ugh, especially H-" She cut off, deftly deflecting to a new subject, "Sooo, what do you do at home all those hours. Got any new celebrity crushes? I remember you were pretty fond of some of the MCAA fighters a few years back." Amber nods despite having a hard time following Wren's explanation. "Well, knowing you, I'm sure you give them hell," she says with a crooked smile rather reminiscent of the mischievous one Wren wore. She grew flustered when her not-so-previous crushes were brought up, not finding the words to defend herself. "W-well, I got a pet fish, so I keep busy with him. And I explore the city, there's a lot of cute little shops and cafes not too far from my apartment." A goofy grin pulls at her lips as she talks, her embarrassment mellowing once again. "What are your work hours like?" "I'm on call whenever really. Typically evenings though." Wren noticed that Amber was digging subtly, trying to discover as much as she could. She sighed, lowering her head slightly before meeting Amber's eyes. "Look, I know you want to make sure I'm okay and that I'm not involved in anything over my head. I'm fine Amber. If I wasn't, I wouldn't've have taken the job in the first place. Okay?" Before Amber could reply, their waiter approached. He looked about their age, lanky and angular with dark hair and skin. He smiled politely, asking them if they were ready to order. Wren replied kindly, pointing at an item on the menu, "I'll have the strawberry waffles please." Amber stifled her surprise at her friend's reaction, her eyes flying to her menu to avoid the accusatory look. "I'll have the raspberry pancakes please." She hands the young man her menu and as he walks away she draws a quick breath in. "I'm sorry for pressing so much, I just worry about you. I promise I'm not doubting your abilities." "I just. I really can't talk about it either. You're really smart Amber, you know what that means and if you don't I'm sure you'll figure it out." She smiled reassuringly, "Now come on, let's talk about something fun!" Amber nods, not knowing anything more despite the obvious hint. She thought briefly over a way to change the topic to something more enjoyable. "When did you get Skaoi? She seems really attached to you." "Skaoi was a birthday present when I was sixteen. She's my favorite part of the human world honestly." Wren said with a soft giggle. "What about you? Do you ever get a fish?" "I did! I was on my way to my apartment for the first time and I walked by a pet store and Sunny immediately caught my eye." Her smile shines bright, the vibrant orange fish easily being her favorite addition to her home. It was also one of the first things she bought, even coming before a proper bed. The fish tank and accessories she bought him forced her to work an extra shift to bring her funds up enough to buy herself more furniture. "He eats anything that falls into his tank. I accidentally dropped a potato chip in there and he swallowed it whole before I could even try to get it out." Wren's giggle turned into a fullblown laugh, cheerful and charming as she gasped for breath. "Oh my god, is he okay?" Amber finds herself giggling as well, remembering her frantic attempts to get Sunny to spit it back out to no avail. "He got sick for a little while, but then a couple days later he was perfectly fine as if nothing happened at all. I almost took a day off to heal him but I figured Walker would sooner kick me off her squad then let me stay home with my fish." The statement only caused Wren's laughter to grow until she was doubled over, clutching her stomach She was then cut short by their food arriving and her laughter quickly receded. The two devoured their breakfast, continuing to make small talk over breakfast with only a few bumps along the way. After paying, Wren walked with Amber to the corner outside of the diner, waiting for the cab to pick her up. Wren sighed, tilting her head up to catch a ray of sun on her face. "This was amazing, thank you Amber." Wren reached forward before Amber could say anything else, grabbing both of her hands and leaning in closer. "I promise I'll swing by some time real soon. This time without bleeding all over your home, we'll do something fun! Okay? And call me if you need anything really, I'll make time for you." Amber shook her head lightly, "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, but there's no need to thank me. Spending time together is more than enough." She beams at the promise to visit again. "I can't wait to hang again. And don't worry about last night, I would gladly fix you up any time." She let go of her Wren's hands to pull her into a tight hug, resting her chin on her shoulder. "See you later, Wren," she says, releasing the embrace. The cab pulled up soon after and the pair parted, Amber unable to stop smiling as she walked back to her apartment.